2023: Group Campaigns Against Electoral Violence in FCT

The Centre For Peace Advocacy and Sustainable Development (CEPASD), in partnership with Cardinal Onaiyekan Foundation for Peace, has called on youths to shun any form of violence during the upcoming general elections.
The group made the call on Friday during a townhall meeting on electoral violence prevention, themed “Community Sensitisation: Pathway To Violence Free Elections and Peaceful Coexistence”
The convener of, CEPASD, Mr Igweshi Augustine, at the meeting advised the youths to desist from activities dangerous to their lives and channel their energy to building a better society for national development.
“The 2023 general elections is here. So, the CEPASD in collaboration with Cardinal Onaikan for Peace is here to launch the Good Voices Against Electoral Violence Campaign in FCT.
“The political elites hire these youths to use them to carry out acts of electoral violence during elections. So, today, we are persuading them to understand that a fair election is possible in 2023,” he said.
Augustine stressed the need to re-orientate and re-conscientise the minds of the Nigerian youths to shun all forms of electoral violence in the country.
He also appealed to the media for partnership to disseminate information to every nook and cranny of the society to sensitise the youths on the dangers of engaging in electoral violence.
Mr Nicholas Dike, the Programme Officer, Cardinal Onaikan Foundation for Peace, called on youths to be mindful with bad utterances as they are critical stakeholders for the prevention of electoral violence.
Dike also called on the youths not allow themselves to be used by politicians during elections, but rather see themselves as agents of positive change for nation building.
“The situation in the country is very delicate and going by the past experiences, Nigeria witnessed post electoral violence in 2011 during which we recorded colossal loss of lives and properties.
“Majority of Nigerians are not happy with the economic situation in the country, that is why we need to sensitise the people to shun electoral violence in 2023,” he said.
A National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Ms Zainab Yahaya, who thanked the group for the sensitisation programme, said she would use the knowledge acquired to vote the right candidate of her choice.
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